Tatevik Shahunyan

Government of Armenia mulls new privileges for residents in near border communities

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan visited some near border army units in Tavush region, Armenia, late in the evening on 3 August, the Government press-service told ArmInfo.

They met with border community leaders, officers and soldiers. Prior to that, the Premier and the Defense Minister attended a funeral meeting for senior lieutenant Zh. Gevorgyan who was killed a few days earlier in a border incident at Martakert.

The Prime Minister was first reported on the situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the retaliatory actions undertaken by the Armenian troops. Then, referring to the social problems of servicemen and people residing in frontier villages, the Prime Minister said that efforts are being made to solve them, and promised to continue boosting wages for the troops serving on contractual terms.

Hovik Abrahamyan said that the government is discussing the possibility of exempting from taxes startup businesses operating in border villages in order to create new jobs and boost economic life in near border communities. The head of government said that the government is also considering the possibility of compensating electricity, gas and other fees for border village communities.

Hovik Abrahamyan and Seyran Ohanyan also met with the residents of Noyemberyan region settlement to thank them for understanding and for keeping the borders impregnable.